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Home , Battle of Badon, Lucius Artorius Castus, Riothamus

History, Literature, and The medieval concept of history The Roman as Historical Work The kinds of romans • Ne sont que iij matières à nul homme atandant, De France et de Bretaigne, et de la grant. –Jean Bodel, Chanson de Saisnes, 12th C.

• Narrate legendary incidents based on real (or believed-to-be-real) events

• Often moralized in interpretation

Historical antecedents for Arthur: ? • Roman general of second century C.E., headquartered at Eboracum [York], urbe legionem, perhaps the origin of , “city of legions.”

• Sent by Emperor Commodus to defend Hadrian’s Wall (c. 181-185 C.E.)

• Standard was a red dragon

• Held the rank of (duke)

• Commanded Sarmatian (Balkan) heavy cavalry (early knights?)

• Sarmatian custom to be buried with sword sticking out of grave

• Many Sarmatian soldiers retired in Britain

• Sarmatian folk legends about warrior Batraz and his group of warriors, “Narts,” who rode across the country on quests

• Needless to say, the Russians are the strongest supporters of this connection…. The very fragmentary epigraphic Castus evidence Dis L . Artorius Castus . Centur-ioni legionis Manibus III Gallicae . item Centurioni legionis VI Ferratae . item 7 leg . II Adiutricis . item 7 leg V Macedonicae . item primo pilo eiusdem praeposito classis Misenatium praefecto legionis VI Victricis . duci leg cohortium alarum Britaniciniarum adversus Armoricanos . Procuratori Centenario provinciae More evidence can be found at Liburniae iure gladi . Vivus http://www.mun.ca/mst/heroicage/issues/2/ha2lac.htm ipse sibi et suis st Translation of the fragment by Linda Malcor

To the spirits of the departed: Lucius Artorius Castus, of the III legion Gallica, also centurion of the VI legion Ferrata, also centurion of the II legion Adiutrix, also centurion of the V legion Macedonica, also of the same [the V legion Macedonica], praepositus of the classis Misenatium [the fleet on the Bay of Naples], praefectus of the VI legion Victrix, dux of the legions of cohorts of cavalry from Britain against the Armoricans, procurator centenarius of the province of , with the power to issue death sentences. In his lifetime he himself [possibly: "fecit," "had this made"] for himself and his family . . . ["possibly H. s. est," "lies buried here". Other Candidates:

• Attested in the writings of Sidonius Appolinaris of Lyon (c. 431-c.489 C.E.), Bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, c. 470 C.E.

• 6th century Gothic History or Getica (c. 551 C.E.) of Jordanes says that Riothamus, king of the Brittones, came at the head of a 12,000 man force at the behest of , the Roman Emperor, to aid in combating the

• Rigotamos may be early British for ―High King‖ but word is a reconstruction

• Question of jurisdiction: would this be a British or Breton king? From the Gothic History of Jordanes (summary of Cassiodorus‘ Gothic History, which no longer survives in complete form)

Now , king of the Visigoths, perceived the frequent change of Roman Emperors and strove to hold by his own right. The Emperor Anthemius heard of it and asked the Brittones for aid. Their King Riotimus came with twelve thousand men into the state of the Bituriges by the way of Ocean, and was received as he disembarked from his ships. Euric, king of the Visigoths, came against them with an innumerable army, and after a long fight he routed Riotimus, king of the Brittones, before the Romans could join him. What about the Anglo-Saxon invaders? • The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is silent about the Hill but documents a gap of almost 70 years between major Anglo-Saxon leaders in the fifth and sixth centuries. • Procopius (died c. 560 C.E.) in his Anekdota records that a member of a diplomatic delegation from the , told him that some Anglo- and British found their island so crowded that they migrated into northern Gaul to find lands to live on. Is there evidence? And if so, what kind?

Breton, Welsh & Continental Sources English/English Sources British Latin Sources Cornish Sources

Gildas, On the Ruin of Britain, 540, mentions a battle of Mount Badon of Gallic Chronicles do not mention Romanized Christian Britons against 6th c. Arthur Saxons, in 500 (?)--does not name Arthur

Y Goddodin, heroic poem of 673. 's Ecclesiastical History of the uncertain date referring to 7th c. 7th C. English Nation does not mention Arthur. events, compares a hero to Arthur (see 13th c.)

Nennius also describes the footprint of the soldier Arthur's dog, and 8th c. Arthur's son's grave, as marvels worth a visit.

Elegy of , heroic poem of uncertain date referring to 890. Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (in Old events ca. 500, mentions 9th c. English) do not menton Arthur. emperor/warrior Arthur (see 13th c.)

970. Annales Cambriae (Welsh 10th c. Annals): Arthur carried a cross at Badon in 517 and died with Medraut at Camlann in 540.

ca. 1100 A church portal in Modena 1125 William of Malmesbury in his Deeds 1113. Canons of Laon visiting depicts a captured woman being of the English Kings mentions the stories 1136 writes find that the Cornish early rescued by knights; the knights are of Arthur, the warrior victor of Badon, the History of the Kings of Britain, believe King Arthur will come to labelled Artus de Bretannia, , 12th c. adding that much nonsense has been outlining King Arthur's reign, liberate them, and note that the Kay, the woman is Winlogee written about him.. companions, etc. in detail. Bretons have the same legend. () ‘ battles Arthur‘s battles (K. Jackson identifications)

• The river Glen is in Northumberland, though the river Glen in Lincolnshire is a possibility • The river Dubglas, which could be any of a number of rivers, though the river Douglas in Lancashire and the Douglas Waterway south of Glasgow are excellent possibilities • The river Bassas is unidentifiable • Coed Celydon, a wood "within range of Glasgow and Carlisle, perhaps the moorlands round the upper Clyde and Tweed valleys" • Castle Guinnion is unidentifiable, though other scholars have suggested Fort Vinovia near modern Binchester • Chester may be "urbe Legionis,‖ though recent research makes York a more likely location • "The Strand of the Pierced or Broken (Place)" for the Tribruit, with no named location suggested • Fort Bremenium (High Rochester) for Breguoin • and simply "somewhere in central southern " for Badon; some archaelogists connect it with in

Liddington Castle hill fort— possibly Badon Hill Archaeological Evidence: Cadbury & the Warrior Code Possible plan of Cadbury Castle hill fort

http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/history/images/cadbury-plan.gif Reconstruction of Hall and Gate at Cadbury

Think Francis Brett Young here…. Archaeological Evidence: Postern gate and ―‘s Cave‖ at Tintagel The ―Arthur Stone‖ from Tintagel Possible reconstruction Archaeological Evidence: Tor Historical Literary Evidence: Y Goddodin Early Arthurian Mss.: Annales Cambriae The Great Adaptor: Geoffrey of Monmouth Building the Myth: Glastonbury Abbey Building the myth: Tudor Genealogy Literary Developments

• Corresponds to period of development of historical romance (not just roman) in southern France—courts of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England (1122-1204), and her daughter Marie, Countess of Champagne (1145-1198). • Corresponds to development of concept of fin’ amor (sometimes called ‗courtly love‘) And this is very important…

• The introduction of the stirrup into Western horse furniture in the 8th to 10th centuries allowed chevals to be ridden by chevaliers, who came to be governed by a second code: chivalry. Chrétien de Troyes

• Wrote romances for Marie‘s court • Probably invented the character of • Took existing Celtic grail myth & pulled it into Arthurian sphere • Made fin’ amors the dominant code of the Arthurian court Arthur‘s court becomes the proving ground for chivalric virtue • Lancelot • Perceval • Yvain • Tristram • Diminished role for warrior knights like Gawain and Cei • Diminished role for king (who‘s already great) Concomitant changes to Arthur‘s character • Leader caught between military and chivalric codes • Still able to inspire but not necessarily able to control all his knights • Metaphor or symbol for use of power: ―mirror for magistrates‖ Building the Myth: The ―How did he get to be king anyway?‖

Answer: http://bau2.uibk.ac.at/sg/python/Sounds/HolyGrailPeasants.wav/thatswhy.wav